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| Cardiff Rugby World Cup train delays 'unacceptable' | Cardiff Rugby World Cup train delays 'unacceptable' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Thousands of Rugby World Cup fans who came to Cardiff by train had an "unacceptable" experience due to delays leaving, event organisers have said. | Thousands of Rugby World Cup fans who came to Cardiff by train had an "unacceptable" experience due to delays leaving, event organisers have said. |
| People waited up to four hours for trains home after the first two games at the Millennium Stadium in September. | People waited up to four hours for trains home after the first two games at the Millennium Stadium in September. |
| Head of tournament services Mick Wright said he saw for himself fans in distress, fearing a crush, in queues following the Australia v Fiji game. | |
| But he praised rail operators for their responses to post-match problems. | |
| England 2015 organising team members expanded on written evidence to the assembly's business and enterprise committee, which held an inquiry into the transport chaos on Thursday. | England 2015 organising team members expanded on written evidence to the assembly's business and enterprise committee, which held an inquiry into the transport chaos on Thursday. |
| Of the tournament's 48 matches, the only ones which saw post-match transport problems were the first three of the eight games to be staged in Cardiff, AMs were told. | |
| Tournament organisers highlighted "unacceptable" queue arrangements for matches at the Millennium Stadium on the 19 and 20 September - Ireland v Canada and Wales v Uruguay. | |
| Queues for trains outside Cardiff Central station took three to four hours to clear on both days, with problems also at London Paddington before the games, organisers said. | Queues for trains outside Cardiff Central station took three to four hours to clear on both days, with problems also at London Paddington before the games, organisers said. |
| Mr Wright said tournament organisers were reluctant to warn fans to expect similar delays when Australia played Fiji in Cardiff on 23 September. | Mr Wright said tournament organisers were reluctant to warn fans to expect similar delays when Australia played Fiji in Cardiff on 23 September. |
| "In Cardiff there has been an assumption that it's ok to ask an audience to wait for three to four hours," he told the committee. | "In Cardiff there has been an assumption that it's ok to ask an audience to wait for three to four hours," he told the committee. |
| "I can tell you my response that day was we would not do that because that is not acceptable." | "I can tell you my response that day was we would not do that because that is not acceptable." |
| Mr Wright, who witnessed the crowds after the Australia v Fiji game himself, said the queuing system was "non-existent" outside the forecourt to the station, causing distress because "it looked like there was a crush". | Mr Wright, who witnessed the crowds after the Australia v Fiji game himself, said the queuing system was "non-existent" outside the forecourt to the station, causing distress because "it looked like there was a crush". |
| However, Mr Wright said the fans were "pretty orderly" and he praised rail operators for their responses to long queues. | However, Mr Wright said the fans were "pretty orderly" and he praised rail operators for their responses to long queues. |
| Great Western Railway had apologised for underestimating passenger numbers for the first game in Cardiff, calling the situation "embarrassing", and £600,000 was spent on shuttle buses to take fans to Bristol to catch trains to London following initial problems. | Great Western Railway had apologised for underestimating passenger numbers for the first game in Cardiff, calling the situation "embarrassing", and £600,000 was spent on shuttle buses to take fans to Bristol to catch trains to London following initial problems. |
| Mr Wright had praise for Cardiff's role in hosting games, saying that "the fan-zone was absolutely amazing, the stadium performed as we knew it would and the city was one of the best we had in the tournament". | Mr Wright had praise for Cardiff's role in hosting games, saying that "the fan-zone was absolutely amazing, the stadium performed as we knew it would and the city was one of the best we had in the tournament". |
| Earlier, committee member Lord Elis-Thomas told the hearing he thought Cardiff Central Station was "totally inadequate" for a capital city. | Earlier, committee member Lord Elis-Thomas told the hearing he thought Cardiff Central Station was "totally inadequate" for a capital city. |
| Claire Moggridge, operations manager for major projects at Cardiff council, agreed, adding: "It is vital that we get a train station that has the capacity within it to deal with the crowds." | Claire Moggridge, operations manager for major projects at Cardiff council, agreed, adding: "It is vital that we get a train station that has the capacity within it to deal with the crowds." |
| Ch Supt Josh Jones from South Wales Police said Cardiff was "a superb city to host events" but there were "always things that can be improved". | |
| Rugby World Cup organisers have made a series of recommendations for future major events. | Rugby World Cup organisers have made a series of recommendations for future major events. |
| They include suspending freight train movements through Cardiff Central station for three hours after matches, as well as better train boarding and queuing procedures. | They include suspending freight train movements through Cardiff Central station for three hours after matches, as well as better train boarding and queuing procedures. |